George Stobbart is a pretty average guy. He's a twenty-something American law school student enjoying his vacation in Paris when suddenly a bomb goes off in the café he's hanging out at one afternoon. He survives and after giving his testimony to the local authorities, he meets a spunky photojournalist named Nicolette "Nico" Collard and soon finds himself on the mystery adventure of a lifetime. Because he's simply a regular guy like any of us, he's easy to relate to and his smart-alecky thoughts and comments reflect what any of us would think or feel in the situations he's thrust into. Also notable are incidents where his background comes into play; for example, his knowledge of Latin from law school helps him decipher ancient texts. This clearly shows that the seemingly ordinary skills and knowledge of an everyday person are more valuable assets than Buster Swords and Spartan Lasers.

The Hero Without a Choice Runner-up: Neku Sakuraba

The World Ends With You (2008)

Neku is the perfect example of a character who grows. Thrust into the extraordinary circumstances of the Reapers' Game, Neku not only has to come to terms with the malicious challenges he faces, but also how he relates to people. He idolises mysterious designer CAT who preaches "do what you want, how you want, when you want." Partnered up (against his will) with good-natured Shiki Misaki, Neku has no choice but to understand and appreciate the advantages of friends and cooperation. As the game progresses, he associates with all sorts of different people and learns how to trust and believe in them as friends. At the beginning of the game he is rude, selfish and, frankly, not all that likeable. By the final battle, there's no doubt he matures into a heroic and charismatic character.